Heroic Measures (continued)

They were forced to wait for an elevator. All of them were in use, and none seemed to be in any hurry to arrive back on their floor. Walter said nothing, eyes fixed ahead on the closed elevator doors, silently willing them to open. Beside him, Isabel said nothing. Her feet shifted position constantly while they waited. She seemed ready to leap into the elevator car when the chime sounded and its doors slowly slid open.

Two lab coated-physicians entered the elevator behind them as Isabel pressed the button for the second floor. Neither of the two doctors regarded them as one of them punched for the eighth floor. The doors closed.

No one said a word as the elevator rose. The only sound was the motors that drove the elevator and, after what felt like an unreasonably long time, the chime indicating that they had reached the second floor of the hospital.

Walter and Isabel exited, nearly colliding with another physician and a female orderly who, for some reason, had been standing too close to the doors when they opened. Isabel stepped onto the floor, checked the map mounted on the wall next to the elevator once briefly, and then led Walter down the corridor.

Room 228 seemed to be located around the far end of the floor from the elevator. At least it felt that way to Walter. He quickly lost his sense of direction, for all of the rooms and corridors looked alike, and he was not entirely convinced that Isabel had chosen the most direct route. Before he could voice his opinion, though, they arrived outside Abigail’s room.

They paused outside the door. Walter took several slow, deep breaths to steady himself.

I need to be brave for her. Be strong.

He nodded once to Isabel and they entered the room.

Walter was surprised to find that Abigail was not alone. He was not particularly surprised to find a nurse tending to her, but he had not expected to find a second, occupied bed in the room as well. He fought back a swell of anger, telling himself that it would accomplish nothing right at that moment. Forcing himself to ignore the person who occupied the other bed, although he caught the glimpse of someone who appeared to be very old, he moved as quietly as he could manage toward Abigail’s bed.

The nurse looked up, seemed to recognize Isabel, and stepped aside. Walter could not be certain, but he thought he caught a glimpse of something like disapproval or distaste in the nurse’s gaze. It was something he could puzzle over later.